Committee on Constitution & Bylaws Petitions
Amendments to the Society’s Constitution or Bylaws
The petition deadline for proposed amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws for the spring 2024 meeting in New Orleans, LA is November 29, 2023. Comments on petitions for consideration are due within 30 days after the Council meeting to bylaws@acs.org or to the chair of the committee that was assigned primary responsibility. For the deadline for amendments to the Standing Rules, contact Christi Pearson at secretary@acs.org. Contact C&B at bylaws@acs.org if you have any questions.
Amendments to the Standing Rules
See Bylaw XI in the ACS Governing Documents for amendments to the Standing Rules.
Status of ACS Petitions
| Petition & Status | Committee with Primary Responsibility OR Status | Description |
Petition to Amend the Council Executive Function | CPC; approved by Council 8/16/23. Pending confirmation by the Board of Directors. | CPC proposed changes to the Council Executive Function in Standing Rule II, Sec. 1, (f); Sec. 5 (g). |
Petition to Amend the Duties of the Committee on International Activities | ConC; approved by Council 8/16/23. Pending confirmation by the Board of Directors. | IAC proposed changes to Standing Rule VII, Sec. 3, (b) and (g). |
Petition to Add International Representation on the Board of Directors REVISED PDF AS AMENDED ON COUNCIL FLOOR PDF | N&E; revised petition approved by Council 8/16/23; pending ratification by two-thirds (2/3) of the members voting on the proposal vote. | Proposed changes to Constitution Article VII, Sec. 1, (b); Sec. 3, (c) and Standing Rules II, Sec. 1, (b); IV, Sec. 2, (f); Secs. 8-11; 13-14; and 16. |
Petition for Representation of International Chapters on Council | CPC; to be considered by Council in fall 2023 and up for action in spring 2024. | Proposed changes to Bylaws III, Sec. 2 (a); VI; Standing Rules II, Sec. 2; IV, Secs. 10 (a), 13 (c), 16; and VII, Sec. 3 (e). |
Petition to Add Plan B to Council Meetings | N&E; this petition was approved by Council 3/29/23 and confirmed by the Board of Directors 4/24/23. Effective 4/24/23. | N&E proposed changes to the elections function in Standing Rule IV, Secs. 4(d) and 8 (b). |
Petition to Add International Representation on the Board of Directors | N&E; considered by Council in spring 2023 and will be up for action in fall 2023. | Proposed changes to Constitution Article VII, Sec. 1, (b); Sec. 3, (c) and Standing Rules II, Sec. 1, (b); IV, Sec. 2, (f); Secs. 8-11; 13-14; and 16. |
2024 Schedule of Membership | MAC; approved by Council 3/29/23. Effective 3/29/23. | MAC proposes new changes to the 2024 Schedule of Membership |
Petition to Amend the Duties of the Council Policy Committee | CPC; this petition was approved by Council 3/29/23 and confirmed by the Board of Directors 4/24/23. Effective 4/24/23. | CPC proposed changes to its duties listed in Standing Rule II, Sec. 1, b. |
Petition to Amend the Name and Duties of the Committee on Environmental Improvement PDF | ConC; this petition was approved by Council 3/29/23 and confirmed by the Board of Directors 4/24/23. Effective 4/24/23. | ConC proposed changes to the name and duties on the Committee on Environmental Improvement listed in Standing Rule II, Sec. 4, b, (7) and Standing Rule VIII, Sec. 1, b, (7). |
Petition to Amend the Elections Function | N&E; this petition was approved by Council 8/24/22 and confirmed by the Board 9/27/22. Effective 9/27/22 | N&E proposed changes to the elections function listed in Standing Rule II, Sec. 1, 4 (c); Standing Rule III, Sec. 2-5; and Standing Rule IV. |
Petition to Amend the Duties of the Committee on Divisional Activities | DAC; this petition was approved by Council 8/24/22 and confirmed by the Board 9/27/22. Effective 9/27/22 | DAC proposed amendments to its duties listed in Standing Rule VII, Sec. 2 (b). |
Petition to Amend the Application and Dues Process for Corporation Associates | MAC; this petition was approved by Council 8/24/22 with amendments on the floor and confirmed by the Board 9/27/22. Effective 9/27/22 | The Committee on Corporation Associates proposed changes to amend the application and dues process for corporation associates listed in Standing Rule I, Sec. 9 (c). |
Petition to Amend the Duties on the Committee on Chemists with Disabilities | CWD; this petition was approved by Council 3/23/22 and confirmed by the Board 5/22/22. Effective 5/22/22 | CWD proposed changes to its duties as listed in Standing Rule VIII. |
Petition to Amend the Use of Dues | B&F; this petition was approved by Council 3/23/22 and confirmed by the Board 5/22/22. Effective 5/22/22 | B&F proposed changes to amend certain specific uses of dues revenue allocated to support production and distribution costs of CE&N and annual funding support to Local Sections and Divisions listed in Standing Rule II, Sec. 7, c, e, f. |
2023 Schedule of Membership | MAC; approved by Council 3/23/22. Effective 3/23/22 | MAC proposed new changes to the Schedule of Membership. |
Petition to Amend the Duties of the Committee on Minority Affairs | CMA; this petition was approved by Council 8/25/21 and confirmed by the Board 8/28/21. Effective 8/28/21 | CMA proposed changes to its duties as listed in Standing Rule VIII. |
Petition to Harmonize Committee Structures, Processes, and Terms | ConC; this petition was approved by Council 3/24/21 and confirmed by the Board 3/26/21. Effective 3/26/21 | There are a lot of changes to Standing Rules I-V, VIII, and IX, to change ACS's committee structure, etc. |
Petition to Amend the Duties of LSAC | LSAC; this petition was approved by Council 3/24/21 and confirmed by the Board 3/26/21. Effective 3/26/21 | LSAC proposes changes to its duties as listed in Standing Rule VII. |
2022 Schedule of Membership | MAC; the 2022 Schedule of Membership was approved by Council 3/24/21 and confirmed by the Board 3/26/21. Effective 3/26/21 | MAC proposes new changes to the Schedule of Membership |
Petition to Clarify Amendments to the Standing Rules PDF: revised version for action | ConC; this petition was approved by Council 8/19/2020 and confirmed by the Board 8/21/2020. Effective 8/21/20 | This petition proposes that for any amendment(s) to the Standing Rules, these must be reviewed by the committee responsible for the Governing Documents Function, to ensure consistency with the ACS Governing Documents. |
Petition on Benefits and Dues - amended the Standing Rules | Approved 4/7/20 by CPC acting ad interim for Council and confirmed 4/22/20 by the Board. Effective 4/22/20 | The petition moved sections from the Standing Rules to the Schedule of Membership for more flexibility. |
Petition on Membership and Dues Withdrawn: PDF | Withdrawn. Spring 2020 Council agenda: 3/25/20 | This petition was withdrawn because proposed amendments to the Bylaws were no longer valid after the Petition to Streamline the ACS Governing Documents was approved by Council, the Board, and ACS members who voted on the Constitution changes. |
Petition to Streamline the ACS Governing Documents | Effective 11/1/2019 | This petition, which was approved by Council, confirmed by the Board of Directors, and [Constitution changes] ratified by ACS members, proposed to reorganize the fundamental governing documents of ACS: the Constitution, Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Board Regulations. |
Deadlines
FYI: the Society’s Constitution Article XIII and Bylaws X and XI pertain to petitions for changing the Constitution or Bylaws: ACS Governing Documents (ACSGovDocs). The deadline to amend the Constitution or Bylaws is 16 weeks before the Council meeting. See Bylaw XI for Amendments to the Standing Rules.
Council-approved amendments to the Society’s Constitution "shall be submitted to the membership for vote at the time of the next SOCIETY election...." (Article XIII, Sec. 2, f, second paragraph). Standing Rule IV, Sec. 4, e establishes the deadline of the next election as being "on or before October 10...."
Deadline for Official Comments on Petitions
“Within 30 days after the Council meeting at which a petition to amend the Constitution or Bylaws has been presented for consideration, opponents of the proposed petition may submit written arguments to the chair of the committee which has been assigned primary substantive responsibility; the chair shall prepare summaries of these arguments and of any rebuttals by proponents, for inclusion, in association with the proposed amendment, in the agenda of the Council meeting at which action is to be taken....” (ACS Governing Documents, Constitution Article XIII, Sec. d and Bylaw X, Sec. 2, d)
Contact C&B
For questions or comments about petitions or the petition process, contact the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws Staff Liaison, Amy Yam:
- bylaws@acs.org
- 202-872-4071 or 800-227-5558, ext. 4071
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